Some lyrics and literature

So I’m sitting here in the middle of doing my homework, iTunes on, listening to some Mayday Parade. I know it’s a little emo. But just a little. And the greatness of the music and lyrics overpower the punk-ness. …Anyway, “You Be the Anchor That Keeps My Feet on the Ground, I’ll Be the Wings That Keep Your Heart in the Clouds” comes on, and I have a freak-out moment.

Let me tell you why.

<<Preface: I love books. A lot. Especially twisted ones that shock me and teach me of minds that are so different from my own but are so beautiful too. Think Stephen King, he’s one of my faves. I also LOVE Edgar Allan Poe and can’t get enough of his writing. I currently have the incredibly hefty, incredibly beautiful Barnes and Noble Leatherbound Classic edition of his complete tales and poems sitting on my nightstand and read something from it every night. Take this to heart.>>

A while back, I was reading the lyrics of “You Be the Anchor” online as I listened to it because that’s what I like to do. Something about actually seeing the words of a song written out as I listen to it can add a whole new dimension for me. And since “You Be the Anchor” is a bit of a confusing one, I scrolled down to read the comments and attempted-interpretations posted by randos. Lucky I did, because one of the comments completely changed the way I view the song.

Some genius (and that is not sarcastic in the least) said the song was referring to Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “A Dream within a Dream” (if Inception just popped into your head, I love you). My jaw literally dropped. How come I didn’t catch that??? It’s ok, cause I caught something that guy didn’t.

Today as I was listening at my desk, it suddenly hit me like a stack of books (hah) that the song actually references Poe all over the place. A part of it is taken from one of his short stories, “Silence–A Fable,” AND it subtly mentions Poe’s wife, Virginia Eliza, who he also calls “El” at one point in the song.

HOW COOL IS THAT????

*Some of you may be thinking, “that’s not cool at all” and are incredibly bored by this entire post because you don’t listen to Mayday Parade and/or don’t read Edgar Allan Poe (both of which would make me extremely sad). If you’re one of those people and have read this far, I’m sorry. You can stop now, cause I’m going to keep on ranting.*

I mean, really?!?!
1. Edgar Allan Poe is genius.
2. Mayday Parade is genius.
3. How much better does it get when they’re combined???

NOW I’m wondering, what if there are more Poe references in other Mayday songs? Woah. That could take me forever to figure out, since I’ve barely scratched the surface of reading Poe’s works and would have to spend about three hours listening to all my Mayday songs too. Yikes. Maybe I’ll just wait and see if anything surprises me like it did today.

I just love music/literary connections so so much, so it goes without saying that this one made my day. If you have any other great ones PLEASE let me know, cause there are few other things that make me quite as happy.

And for anyone who’s interested, here’s all the stuff I’m talking about so you can see for yourself:

“A Dream within a Dream”
by Edgar Allan PoeTake this kiss upon the brow!And, in parting from you now,Thus much let me avow-You are not wrong, who deemThat my days have been a dream;Yet if hope has flown awayIn a night, or in a day,In a vision, or in none,Is it therefore the less gone?All that we see or seemIs but a dream within a dream.

I stand amid the roarOf a surf-tormented shore,And I hold within my handGrains of the golden sand-How few! yet how they creepThrough my fingers to the deep,While I weep- while I weep!O God! can I not graspThem with a tighter clasp?O God! can I not saveOne from the pitiless wave?Is all that we see or seemBut a dream within a dream?

I’m not going to post “Silence–A Fable” because it’s about three pages long. But here’s a link to it.